WoD Wednesday: Abecedarian

Abecedarian: Adjective: 1. a. Of or relating to the alphabet b. Alphabetically arranged 2. Rudimentary

Continuation from Ineffable from a few weeks ago.

peach fog

Abecedarian

An incredible ache consumes me the moment I wake up. When I exhale a groan, my hot breath bounces off a wall a few inches away back into my face. Peach fog invades my vision upon opening my eyes. Being curled in a fetal position, my arms are curled into my chest. I attempt to reach out a hand, only for it to be stopped by a smooth surface not far from my body.

Am I in some kind of a box? If I am, I’m cushioned beneath me. It’s a good thing I’m not claustrophobic or this could be very traumatizing for me. Turning my throbbing head left and right, I note that I am surrounded by the colored clouds that shift and writhe with my every breath.

Familiar voices are outside my box, though I cannot determine how far away they are. They’re definitely the men I met before the older one made me lose consciousness. It’s a pity they’re kidnappers because they were possibly the most handsome men I have ever seen. Unearthly handsome. I’ve never seen eyes that color of dark blue, at least not naturally.

Transformation. They said something about me undergoing a transformation. Are they some kind of alien? Oh my gosh. Is this a sort of transformation chamber?

Lifting my hand, I examine it, and promptly begin freaking out. My skin has changed into the color of an actual peach. Is it my imagination or is it sparkling like a Twilight vampire? I have to get out of here.

I try pounding on the walls, but my arms move as though I’m in a pool of water, though I know I’m not in any kind of liquid at all. Am I? No. I can feel tears streaming down my face. What have they done to me? Kicking out with a foot, I manage to make a crack in the wall, causing the fog to escape and cool air to pour in.

“Should we help her?” the younger man asks. I can understand them now. They’re not far away.

“No. This is an abecedarian task she should do on her own,” the other replies.

I don’t even know what that word means, but it sounds like they want me to break out. That concept causes me to pause my attempts. It can’t be a good thing to leave here if they desire me to get out on my own.

A dark blue eye peeks in through the crack in my wall when I haven’t done anything for a while. Part of a smile is exposed on the lower part of his face.

“She’s beautiful.” It’s the younger of the two. “Come now, little one. You can do it.”

“I’m alright in here,” I say.

They both laugh.

I don’t think it’s funny.

“You need to leave your egg now, sweetling. Experience your new world.”

“Egg?”

His smile widens.

The idea of being in an egg does it for me. No matter what I face out there, I can’t be in an egg. I’m not a bird or a fish or a reptile…or a platypus. My arms and legs thrash all over and soon I’ve broken out of the egg, leaving shards of the glittering peach shell scattered all over the floor around me.

To Be Continued…

Meme Monday and Topic Tuesday: Kindness Should Be Free

Pink Scales

One of the major themes in The Talented Turtle is being willing to accept help and friendship when it is offered. At first, Mary is too shy to even speak to anyone, but eventually realizes that life is so much better with friends.

Even as adults, we can find ourselves trying to do everything on our own. Have you ever been having a rough go at it and someone says, “If you need anything, please let me know”? I have. How many times have you taken that person up on their offer? If you’re like me, probably not often enough.

There are many excuses for that. Maybe it was an empty gesture. You don’t want to be a burden. You need to look strong and like you have everything together. There isn’t time. It doesn’t matter what you tell yourself, there really isn’t a good reason to not accept assistance from a friend.

Put yourself in their shoes. You see a friend having a rough time and you offer to help them, but they never take you up on your offer. You stand by and watch them spiral, helpless because they won’t take your hand. It’s hard when you see someone you love suffering.

The next time you’re sick and someone offers to pick up your kid, or someone dies in the family and someone offers to cook you a meal, accept the offer. Not only will it make your life a little easier, it will give that person great joy to be able to help you in your time of need.

Nerd Faire 2019 Is Tomorrow!

Have you been waiting for my next event to purchase Kept, so I can sign it? Good news! Tomorrow is Nerd Faire at Lynnwood Convention Center and I will be there selling and signing. I have several copies of Kept available. Come check it out sometime between 9:00 AM-6:00 PM. Click below to find out more.

Nerd Faire 2019

Meme Monday: Never Seen The Sun

Star is one of Mary’s friends in The Talented Turtle. She’s a bit quirky because everything she says is in the form of a metaphor. This is one instance of her simply saying she doesn’t know something.

Never Seen The Sun

Thankful Thursday: Clear Roads

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I am thankful that the roads are clear from Snowmageddon. By the time we ventured out on Sunday, I had been cooped up for about two weeks. Cabin fever anyone? I know the kids at my house were getting there with the number of snow days they had. At one point, a coat rack was put just outside the door leading to my area of the house. On it, Mary’s coat and hat were stored. I told everyone I kept thinking there was a person standing there, so the kids decided to take that statement and run with it. This was the result.

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If I was paid a dollar for every time I heard the phrase “I’m bored” over the last few weeks, I would be able to buy myself a private island somewhere tropical. What finally worked was having Mary clean her room for ten minutes every time the words came out of her mouth. It wasn’t all bad, though. There were plenty of games played and fun was had. The kids spent a lot of time out in the snow with Nick and Emily. Trash talk was said over games of Dominos and Hand & Foot.

Dominos Snomageddon 2019

We still have quite a bit of icy snow out here, but the roads are clear and I am free to leave the house at a whim. So, that is what I’m thankful for today. What about you?

The Talented Turtle Available For Pre-Order

In lieu of a Word of the Day Wednesday post today, I would like to announce that The Talented Turtle (Mary’s Memoirs Book 1) is now available for pre-order for Kindle. It will come out April 12, along with the print version of the book.

If you don’t know, Mary’s Memoirs is a children’s chapter book about mermaids in Aquantis, the mermaid empire of Concordia. My daughter, Mary, is in third grade, but has a higher reading level. I was finding it difficult to locate books for her that were challenging and appropriate, so I wrote one for her. There will be a few more, and I will be releasing one a year.

Click the image below to pre-order today. It is available for $.99, but will go up to $2.99 on April 12.

Talented Turtle eBook Cover

Topic Tuesday: Whistle While You Work

Multitasking is an artform that is just about a requirement in this day and age. Look at your tabs in your browser right now. How many do you have open? What about your taskbar? Do they even all relate? Is your television or radio (or other form of music player) on? Are your kids asking you questions? Is your husband or wife in the room with you?

I’ll answer these for myself. I have three tabs and five programs currently open on my computer. Not everything is related. No television, music, or daughter at this moment, but my husband is in the room and pipes up with a question every now and again. Mainly, “Do you think this is going to work?” To which I say yes to every time, even though I have no idea what he’s working on.

Prior to putting up this Topic Tuesday, I finished getting the domain set up for marysmemoirs.net (not running yet) and fixing the brightness flickering on my screen. As I started writing this, I got a call from my MIL upstairs asking me to sign for a package. Then, I made a cup of coffee for my husband and some tea for myself. In a little less than an hour, I have to run to the bus stop to pick up my daughter. AND in all the tiny moments between, I’m working on this, the ebook cover and bookmark for The Talented Turtle (Mary’s Memoirs Book 1), checking my social media and email, trying to decide if I want to invest WAY too much money into having a table at this year’s Emerald City Comic Con, putting the final touches on The Talented Turtle, and starting Anomalous (Hope in Concordia Book 1).

“How are you today, Katie?”

“Fine.”

My favorite Disney princess has always been Snow White for a variety of reasons. Admittedly, the main reason is that her coloring matches mine and what fun is that? Another reason is that no matter her circumstances, she is bound and determined to stay joyful. Stepmother treats me like a servant? I’ll sing a song by the wishing well. A huntsman chases me down to carve out my heart to give to said stepmother? I’ll run away and make friends with the animals and seven strangers. Little cottage a royal mess? I’ll clean it and bust out into a musical number. Dead? Nope. Just sleeping. Who’s this handsome man? My prince! Happily ever after.

Snow White had plenty of opportunity, and some would say valid reasons, to give up, but she never did. When life threw a million things at her, she stayed stressed with a  genuine smile on her face.

So, today, when you feel like the huntsman is on your tail, shake yourself out of it and whistle while you work.

Whistle While You Work

Thankful Thursday: My Valentine

I have already posted about my darling husband for a Thankful Thursday, but today is Valentine’s Day, so he warrants a repeat. He’s my biggest advocate (and investor) and knows exactly when I’ve been plopped in front of my screen writing for too long.

Nick Hauenstein, I love you. We’ve been together going on fourteen years and married for nearly twelve. You have been with me through some pretty garbage times, but we’ve had a lot of fantastic times, as well. I have an incredible amount of quirks that you handle on a daily basis and I appreciate you for that and everything else you do. Love love love!

Wedding Photo